Video Based Learning Makes Corporate Training Better

Quality employee training videos are great for your business

Staff training is a must for success. But, like everything in the corporate world, R.O.I. matters if large chunks of budget are to be spent on internal learning and development.

The pay off from good training is to see new skills, behaviours and knowledge put to work by employees. This gives a genuine boost in staff performance and self-esteem, improved productivity and a real increase in your financial bottom line.

For that to occur there is a key part of the learning process that all too often is missing. That’s having a strategy in place to make sure new knowledge is embedded and put to work by employees enhancing their ability to execute their role. I call this ‘sticky learning’.

How valuable would it be if you had a great way to embed the learning from quality live training events? Even once attendees are back at their desks, trying to remember that really useful tool they covered at last week’s workshop?

This is what well made short-form learning videos can do for you.

Video learning backs up and reinforces training programs

I know this because before focusing on video production and digital content I worked for over a decade for one of the most highly respected corporate trainers in Australia. He is an expert in injecting new learning. From watching the learning process he rolled out it became clear that using video learning, in combination with in-person training, is the most effective and efficient way to get results.

As I moved into being a Corporate Trainer and Executive Coach I found that the leaders who supported training in their organisations – particularly those who utilised video to make in-person training and coaching keep contributing after the trainer had finished their work with their organisations – got outstanding results.

At filmstretch we are specialists in ‘sticky learning’ because of my history, as well as being extremely experienced at professional production of the most popular of mediums today; video.

The 70/20/10 rule

At filmstretch we understand your challenge. Bearing in mind the 70/20/10 rule of thumb about the context in which new skills and knowledge become embedded, live training workshops only account for 10% of retained information and skills, despite needing serious investment.

A recap on what we know about embedding new skills; 70% of learning is embedded ‘on the job’ – so this is a key area where learning video can be invaluable. Designing effective ‘on the job’ video training requires training skills as well as video production skills. This is where filmstretch offers a unique combination.

20% of learning comes from conversation and discussions with colleagues.

Only 10% of learning is retained and embedded from live workshops, which are often the way new skills, techniques and knowledge are introduced to employees. The face to face nature of live workshops remains one of the most effective ways to introduce new learning as well as facilitating employees to grow relationships, often cross departmentally. And last but not least live events offer the opportunity to reinforce your company’s vision and strategy for execution of that vision.

So the kind of organisational up-skilling and uplift offered by live training events is invaluable, but it can fade after the live event is over. Skills, learning, values and motivation may not, as trainers say ’embed.’

How would you like to capitalise on your events, creating ‘sticky training’ by developing these events and bringing them into the 70/20 part of the equation?

Sticky learning videos made from live events are readily available to anyone, any time, at those times when they most need a refresher – so they are a key tool in taking advantage of the fact that 70% of learning takes place on the job.

These videos can also be used in team meetings and cross departmental meetings to facilitate the 20% of learning that happens through sharing with one’s colleagues.

Filming live events and cutting the best nuggets of brilliance into learning videos is a very effective way to carry training from live events into the workplace. They also reinforce the feeling of motivation, the benefit of using new skills and the most important information and messages the trainer delivers live.

Creating well-structured, well-filmed and well-edited video from every live event keeps that training paying dividends long after it’s over.

Corporate training – an art and a science

The art of training is all about boosting staff skills as well as morale. That can help employees and managers feel good about what they are achieving, and solid in their grasp of how to handle their area of work, navigate the organisation, technology and other systems confidently.

Video brings in the science. Good training is repetitive and offers resources to refer to when in doubt, or as a reinforcement of best practice.

So, you see – video based learning needs to capture both elements of training – the science of presenting bite sized simple chunks of information that serve to embed overall training goals and the art of inspiration and bolstering employees.

How we make training video that works for corporates

filmstretch is unique in being able to offer you a virtually hands-off process to create a set of internal videos specific to your needs.

Because of my skill set – having been a corporate trainer and executive coach, and being a video producer – I speak your language, I understand your challenges, and I can take on producing training videos that are sound in terms of training principles and high class video production.

Together we can assess your priority training needs then filmstretch will take the video production off your hands until it’s time for you to input on the almost finished learning and development video set. All you will need to do is polish.

That means you and other employees do not have to invest a lot of time into video projects. You can leave that in my capable hands and know the outcome will be well structured, well made and accurately working with your core training goals.

A typical scenario is that we film a clients internal event, including some short, to the point, one on one interviews with attendees.

We get clear on your training goals and priority needs and pull a set of ‘coaching’ videos together for you – short, to the point videos that staff members can view as and when they most need them and give them the chance to truly embed new skills and behaviours.

The filmstretch team are all professional filmmakers so our training videos always look great, and use all the tricks of making good television or film too.

Filming live events then making tailored coaching videos from the event shoot adds huge value to to the significant financial outlay of running internal events – especially off-sites, including, as they do, travel and accommodation for many people.

We also produce dedicated learning videos that don’t piggy back off events. These can take a number of forms, including, for example…

On-boarding and tech training videos

Video can provide a lot of information that goes beyond in-person training. On-boarding is a great example of training that is repeated again-and-again with each recruit who needs to learn the ropes.

Tech training is also possible to cover with video training that is specific to the technology and systems of your organisation. We have the good fortune of having key staff who have been web-designers and I.T. experts on board which makes us particularly proficient with this kind of learning video too.

Remember that corporate training video is still your brand

Video needs to be consistent with your brand and company culture, as well as plucking the most important information from what in-person trainers offer your employees and company. Presenting all of this in a polished way.

Bad training video is dull to watch and looks unprofessional which affects the impression of your brand given staff and other viewers.

Keep it simple, and get professional help

Ideas need to be simple and precise in videos. Redundant information has to be trimmed away, and the structure of training videos needs to be intelligent as well as sensitive to the integrity, training structure, and core message, of live trainers.

Many corporates purchase ‘off-the-shelf’ training videos. However, ‘off-the-shelf’ training videos obviously won’t be nuanced to serve your specific organisation’s needs. So the opportunity to provide context for the new learnings that you asking your employees to take on board is lost. Employees want to know ‘why’ and ‘what’s in it for me’ as well as ‘how’, and this can only be imparted by producing your own bespoke training videos. And it also doesn’t capitalise on your live training workshops.

Professionally made video will help your employees focus and absorb key information. If done well, it will organise new information that is completely relevant to your company, in their memories.

Training video also makes sure that no spend on ‘in-person’ training, coaching or events is wasted. The video created captures training and repeats it whenever needed.

People like to be talked to by people

Having a good trainer filmed as they explain the main ideas of the training to staff is gold. People prefer that a person explain things to them, and filming those explanations means they can access those ideas again and again. Long after the in-person trainer has left the building so-to-speak.

Getting employees or experienced corporate trainers – who are engaging speakers and understand how learning works – on camera is a fabulous approach.

The other option is to write great scripts for sections of the training video, and hire professional actors or actresses and deliver some of your training on camera and as voice-over.

Structure and narrative matter a lot

Getting the balance between serious and entertaining content, graphics, animation and person-speaking-to-camera right is crucial.

The other component that is important is the structure of videos. Video learning works best topic by topic, or chapter by chapter. Like a video text book.

Gaining emotional and intellectual engagement makes information stay in people’s memories far more successfully. That takes film-making skills that are not only about presentation but narrative structure – storytelling.

By far the best value option is to film live trainers as they present. Then use that footage along with graphics, animation and other supporting information to create learning videos that can keep the training alive for employees.

Videos need to have narrative structure. As filmmakers at filmstretch we know storytelling, it’s our craft. A life-time of filmmaking is a lifetime of storytelling with all the tricks involved in filmic narrative.

One of our Directors has taught screenwriting and narrative structure at university level. As a company we have many years of experience filmmaking. So we have that covered.

Why video works so well

Video is extremely powerful because it allows viewers to both hear, read and see information. On top of that it allows employees to engage the ‘personal touch’ of having someone explain to them while they see examples, graphics, and animation to reinforce what is being explained.

An expertly produced training video finds the right balance for viewers to see, hear and read information. This results in recall levels of 60%. Reading information tends to lead to recall levels of around 10% just to give you a comparison.

How to make video work well

Training videos need to change what’s on screen every 5-7 seconds to keep attention. Here at filmstretch we’ve become expert at managing that using a variety of variables – titles, different voiceover, animations, changes in music, different camera perspectives, and sometimes a variety of different people appearing on-camera.

We have learnt that the best tone is friendly and conversational. Trainers know this. But it is vital that scripts and other elements keep that feel of delivery.

We have become expert at not only finding the core messages, tone and correct structure for learning videos, but also writing scripts that use all the same tricks that trainers and filmmakers use.

As it turns out, my previous life in training and coaching is a huge asset for filmstretch getting this just right.

Technical aspects of video production

At filmstretch we are across technical production and directing of video. To create powerful video-based learning you need; well directed actors or trainers, good lighting, great camera and sound work, appropriate settings for filming, and very strong graphic and animation skills.

I will follow this article with a piece that offers more tips and information about the art and science of making training video. But my advice is to work with video professionals from the conception stage of planning training.

You can contact me, Claire, here. I look forward to chatting through how filmstretch can help you create uniquely well-made video-learning resources.